Matthew 17: Glory and the Grind (6)

Pray Psalm 147.12-14.
Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem!
Praise your God, O Zion!
For He has strengthened the bars of your gates;
He has blessed your children within you.
He makes peace in your borders,
And fills you with the finest wheat.

Sing Psalm 147.12-14.
(St. Anne: Our God, Our Help in Ages Past)
O praise your God, Jerusalem, O Zion, praise the Lord!
He strengthens those who trust in Him with blessings from His Word.

Around us He has spread His peace; our borders are secure.
His bounty daily shall increase; His grace to us is sure!

Read Matthew 17.1-27; meditate on verses 24-27.

Prepare.
1. What question was Peter pondering?

2. How did Jesus demonstrate His sovereignty?

Meditate.
This is a charming story, and it demonstrates the sovereignty of our Lord Jesus Christ over all the details of life. The tax collectors asked Peter whether Jesus would pay the temple tax (v. 24). Peter answered without hesitation that He would (v. 25), assuming that Jesus would keep whatever the Law required (cf. Ex. 30.13).

Jesus saw this exchange without even being present, just as He saw Nathanael under the fig tree (Jn. 1.48), and just as He sees you and me at every moment of our lives. But what a strange way to arrange for the payment of the tax!

First, though, a lesson on the freedom of Christ and His followers (vv. 25, 26): Jesus intimates that He was exempt from the tax by virtue of being the Son of the high King of heaven. Thus He showed that He is above the Law, and greater than the temple. But by submitting to the Law He fulfilled all its requirements for righteousness. Jesus did not need to keep the Law for His own sake, but for Peter’s, and ours.

So Jesus sent the fisherman off to do what he did best, knowing full well that He had already arranged – by whatever means – both for the fish Peter would catch and the fact that that fish would have in its mouth just the right money to pay the tax for both Jesus and Peter.

Jesus is not bound by human regulations or limitations. He is sovereign in all the details of life. We can trust Him to provide whatever we need.

Reflect.
1. Jesus kept the Law to fulfill all righteousness. Why should we keep it?

2. Jesus is sovereign in all the details of your life. He is with you always. How can knowing this help to improve your prayer life?

3. Jesus knows our needs before we get to them. How should knowing this guide our morning prayers?

What he says is something like this: “I am free from paying tribute. For if the kings of the earth do not take it from their sons but from their subjects, much more ought I to be free of this demand, being the Son not of an earthly king but of the king of heaven and myself a king as well.” Do you see how he has distinguished the sons from them that are not sons? John Chrysostom, (344-407), The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 58.2

I rest my life in Your sovereign care, Lord Jesus, so that I can…

Pray Psalm 147.1-11, 15-20.
Praise God for the many ways His sovereignty brings goodness and blessing to your life.

Sing Psalm 147.1-11, 15-20.
Psalm 147.1-11, 15-20 (St. Anne: Our God, Our Help in Ages Past)
Praise God, for it is good to sing loud praises to the Lord!
With joy our songs of praise we bring to God and to His Word.

The Lord builds up His Church and He His people gathers in.
The broken hearts He tenderly repairs and heals their sin.

The stars He counts, He knows the name of every chosen soul;
His pow’r is great, and great His fame Who understands us whole.

The humble God exalts above; the wicked He casts down.
Sing thanks to this great God of love; let songs of praise abound.

He brings refreshing rain to earth and feeds the beasts so dear.
He puts in man’s strength naught of worth, but loves those who God fear.

His Word to earth runs to and fro to carry out His will;
He brings the rain, He sends the snow, and none can keep Him still.

His Word He to His Church bestows – His promises and Law.
No other nation God thus knows: praise Him with songs of awe!

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006). All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).